It's Complicated
by HydeLuver
Summary: Tori and Beck struggle to put an end to their secret romance before hurting those closest to them. Includes Bori/Bade/Tandre
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or any of the characters on the show. **

_**8 years after the finale-**_

Tori Vega is driving her car past the Hollywood hills and admires the day's sunshine. After three days of non-stop rain, people in Hollywood could finally step out and enjoy the weather. She notices the happy smiles of kids walking alongside their parents and young couples walking hand in hand to and from shops along the shopping strip. She notices one particular couple, happily strolling along smiling and laughing together. They must have been a little older that fifty and still shared love-struck stares with each other. It makes her smile to see that kind of love still around, but it also makes her feel guilty about what she is doing.

As she continues driving towards the Sunset Hills, her anxiety increases. She knows the best thing to do would be to turn around and head back home where she is safe and nothing bad can happen. By turning around, she will be making sure that no one gets hurt and can go about their businesses without any problems. Even though she knows this, she can't bring herself to do so. Something stops her from making the logical decision and keeps her driving forth. The internal conflict she's been dealing with for the past half hour is not strong enough to make her go back to her safe place.

After about twenty minutes on the road, she approaches her destination. She pulls the car up to the driveway of the isolated cabin and steps out. It's been nearly two month since she's been here and she still feels right at home. Something about the airiness and tranquility of this place eases her nerves and makes her happier than when she is anywhere else. If someone asks her where home is, she would be inclined to tell them about this place. Of course, she could never do that without bringing shame to herself.

She throws her bag over her shoulders and walks the distance of the driveway up to the door. She reaches under the mat to find the key. It's crazy how much of a routine this has become for her. Every month, she finds herself right here doing the exact same thing, feeling the exact same way. As she unlocks the door and turns the knob she is met with the familiar scent of the house. The natural smell of the location make her smile. It's such a contrast from the busy city she lives in. Being here is almost like being on vacation.

She walks around for a bit before heading to the bedroom to unload her bag and settle in. She lays down on the bed and closes her eyes, basking in the temporary peace and quiet around her. This is the life she desires. If it wasn't for the fact that her dreams require her to be in the city for auditions, she could see herself living here for the rest of her life. She would become an old lady and raise her children to live a carefree and innocent life; one in which they wouldn't have to be afraid of getting mugged on the streets or feel rejection from the shallow city people.

She continues reflecting on how perfect her life would be if all this was permanent and not just something she did once a month. Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted by a male figure who has now inhabited the bedroom. She looks at him, standing by the door with just a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair dripping wet. She raises an eyebrow at him and shoots him a sarcastic smile.

"I see you're ready" she says and makes him laugh. She gets out of bed, rushes over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. He returns the embrace by wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her just a few feet off the ground. He leans in for a kiss and as soon as their lips touch, she feels every nerve in her body reacting with happiness. Her insides tingle and she is absolutely entranced in the moment. She runs her fingers through his wet hair and pulls him in to deepen the kiss. Sensing her urgency, he pulls away and smiles.

"We have all day" he says, setting her back down.

She nods her head and watches as he walks towards a chair and looks through his bag to find some clothes to change into. Tori sits down on the edge of the bed and watches as he begins to dress in front of her. He notices her checking him out and says "like what you see?"

She nods her head yes and they share a laugh. He informs her he picked up food for them and once he is dressed, they head to the kitchen to eat.

After about an hour of eating and catching up, he takes her hand and leads her back to the bedroom. He walks her over to the bed and once she is sitting on the edge, he walks over to a radio by the dresser and finds a slow song they can listen to. When he looks back over to her, he sees her starting to take her top off. Instantly, he walks over to her and stops her from continuing to get undressed. She looks at him curiously, confused as to why he isn't as excited to sleep with her as she is to be with him.

"I don't want to rush this," he announces, hoping she isn't feeling rejected, "I want to enjoy today with you before we have to go back."

As the music fills the atmosphere, she has to wonder why he would bring up the fact that they have to leave in a few hours. After starting the day on a wonderful note, she had completely forgotten about her life outside this cabin. Now, he brought her right back to reality.

He notices her face fall. "I'm sorry," he says, "I shouldn't have brought it up."

She nods her head and looks around the room. Somehow, the magic got sucked out of it after he said that. With a loud sigh, she forces a smile which she quickly sees doesn't convince him.

"Tori?" he asks.

"Beck, I don't want to talk about it okay?" she responds. She gets off the bed and begins to pace around the room. For whatever reason, she is now feeling as if someone sucked all the air out of the room and really just wants to get out. She wishes she can go back just a few minutes and stop him from mentioning the sad truth. He knows how much it pains her to have to leave the cabin every single month. He knows how much she struggles with her decision to come and how when she comes here, she tries to forget about the real world in order to enjoy her time with him.

"I don't want to talk about it either, but do you ever think that maybe we should? We've been doing this for a while now and I think we'll eventually have to figure out where it's going" he says, hoping to reason with her.

She shoots him a harsh look which instantly makes him regret asking her this question, more than the first one. "You really want to talk about it now? Here? I hadn't realized that's what we came here to do."

He is surprised by the aggressive tone in her voice. It's been years since he's heard a similar tone coming from her, and that time hadn't been directed towards him. He gets off the bed and walks towards the radio. He lowers the volume and walks over to a chair near the door. He leans against its arm and knows it's best to not respond. Having known her for years, he understands that it's best to just let her finish.

"I mean, I know we should eventually figure out what we're doing but I really didn't think you would bring it up here. Do you understand what this place means to me? This is where I can come to be _with _you and forget about all the shit that goes on in my life. Here, I don't have to feel guilty about what we're doing. I can just put it in the back of my mind and deal with it on my way back. You bringing it up pretty much ruined this for me."

He looks on as she continues to pace around the room. He knows this is how she feels about this cabin. Hell, that is exactly how he feels also. However, it has gotten to the point where he needs answers. Every month he comes up here to meet up with her and they go on about their merry day as if everything is fine when in fact, it is the exact opposite. Life outside these walls is a mess for both of them and it is necessary for them to find some resolution. Given that this is one of the few times they are alone, it is the only opportunity they have to figure it out.

"I understand that Tori, I really do but after all these years I think it's time we make a decision. I'm not sure how much longer we're supposed to keep this up and ignore everything that happens once we leave. We're too old to keep this up don't you think?"

She stops pacing long enough to look at him. She sees how determined he is about this and knows that to some extent he is right, but she is not ready to talk about it. Talking about it would only reinforce her guilt and make her relationship with him seem wrong...more so than it already is.

"I just...let's do this another day okay?" she asks. Walking over to the chair where she set down her bag, she gets ready to leave. There is no way she can enjoy her time here now without thinking of how she's hurting everyone around her. Beck quickly walks over to her, determined to stop her and just have her talk to him.

"Stop, okay? Let's just figure it out now and that way we can still have fun the rest of the day" he says, taking her bag from her.

"Beck, this is a bad idea. I just want to leave. I can't sit here with you now and have a good time. It's just not possible. Maybe it's best if we just make this the last time and move on with our lives."

He looks dumfounded. This is not the response he expected from her. "Tori, you know that's not what you want. That's not what I want either. I can't imagine not being able to spend time with you, be here with you. Every month I count the days until I can get away from all my troubles and come here. Every time I see you out there I have to stop myself from telling you how much I want you, how much I love you. The time I spend here is amazing and I know you feel the same way which is why you come every month. So please don't tell me we should stop seeing each other because I know it's not what you really want."

Her heart melts at his words. He has managed to capture her feelings perfectly. She is filled with emotions at the realization that he feels the same about her and their time together. However, as she looks around the room, her guilt does not subside. She looks at him and his hopeful eyes tug at her heart.

'_There's that damn internal conflict again' _she thinks.


	2. Chapter 2

Sighing, Tori turns to Beck and says, "you're right, I don't want to leave you. The thing is, I also don't want to keep having to sneak around to be with you and I don't want to hurt anyone by not putting an end to this."

Beck looks at her and quickly becomes frustrated with what she is saying. This is the first time he has put himself out there like this and instead of seeing how much he wants her, her focus is on everyone else. One of the reasons they are in this predicament, still having to sneak around, is because she is too concerned with hurting other people's feelings. He is more than willing to just make the necessary leap to be with her. All he needs to do is convince her to take it with him.

"Beck, you understand right?" she says softly.

"Am I supposed to understand?" he asks flatly. Frankly, he didn't understand. He couldn't understand. If two people love each other, and he is sure she loves him, they should do anything to be together. Regardless of the obstacles that stand in their way, they should at least make the effort to fight for their happiness. Here he is, fighting, and she isn't.

Truth be told, however, he couldn't really blame her. He knows exactly why she is afraid to follow his lead and he can't be angry at her. If he were thinking rationally, he would also be more hesitant to press the issue any further.

"You are" she replies.

The room suddenly falls silent for what seems like an eternity. They both avoid eye contact. It isn't until he walks over to the window in the room that she feels a sense of ease flow through her body. She sees him staring outside peacefully and it intrigues her. She expected the conversation to include a lot of yelling, especially since her answer isn't favorable to him.

Suddenly, he breaks the silence without looking at her. "Explain it to me."

_'He's going to make this hard' _she thinks and sighs deeply. It confuses her as to how he can possibly complicate things any more than they already are. He knows exactly why what they're doing is wrong, but since he's going to play dumb, she just needs to lay it out for him. "Fine, you're married and I'm in a relationship. Is that clear enough for you?"

Abruptly, he turns from the window to look at her. The bluntness and annoyance of her tone take him by surprise. She has always gone out of her way to avoid mentioning these aspects of their lives. Now, it comes so easily for her. Rather than respond, he stands unfazed and waits for her to continue.

"That's why we can't keep "playing house" or whatever this is anymore. You are married. _To Jade_. And me, I'm with Andre, you know your best friend? Maybe we've gotten so accustomed to overlooking these little details, but I think it's time we just face it. What we are doing is really fucked up and we just need to stop Beck. God, I don't want to hurt Andre. I don't even want to imagine what will happen if he ever finds out about this. I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

His eyes narrow at the mention of his friend's name. A pang of jealousy surges through his body at the thought that technically, Tori is Andre's. He also feels a sense of shame knowing that he himself has no p to be jealous. Hell, he is married. How hypocritical is he for being jealous of Andre when he made the most serious of commitments to Jade?

Tori stands by the door and rubs her forehead. Somewhere down the line they both got so caught up in their monthly meetings and wrapped up in their feelings for one another that they didn't notice reality catching up with them. For so long, they've been living a happy little fairy tale, away from the "real world". The problem is, they are already supposed to be living happily ever after with other people. Perhaps this is what happens after '_The End.' _Maybe Cinderella cheated on Prince Charming with her high school crush.

Tori shrugs off the thought as ridiculous and waits for Beck to say something.

"We can figure things out Tori. Just stay and we'll figure it out together" he says.

Tori tilts her head up to look at the ceiling. Talking about it couldn't possibly make things better. As long as she stays here with him, the possibility of things staying unresolved exists.

"Beck, I really-"

Beck cuts her off before she can finish. "Please?" he pleads.

Tori shakes her head and reminds him that they can't keep doing this.

Desperate, Beck walks over to her and looks into her eyes. "Do you remember why we started doing this in the first place?" he starts hoping to change her mind, "we were both in these relationships with Jade and Andre but we weren't happy. Things weren't great because we kept thinking about each other. Do you remember that Tori? You told me that you couldn't stop thinking about me. I couldn't stop thinking about you either. Even on my wedding day...I was standing there with Jade making these vows to love her and be faithful to her but I kept thinking about you. Jesus, I felt like the biggest asshole that day. Then, years later we talked about doing this and I knew it was wrong but I couldn't help but think that this might be the only way to be with you...I thought about Jade and Andre and what this would do to them, but I couldn't stop myself from coming here every month. Tori, being with you makes sense to me. It makes me happy so please don't take that away from me. I know you're happy here too, so just stay. Please."

Tori stands in awe at his confession. Seeing him be so raw and honest with her makes her want him more than ever. In her years of knowing him, this is the realest she has seen Beck. Her whole body is aching to close the small space between them and just make love to him. She wants to nurture his vulnerability and comfort him.

Regardless of these instincts, she knows she has to get out of there if she wants things to start making things okay. Sadly, she shakes her head and turns towards the door. Once she reaches the door frame, she turns and sees him standing still, staring at her. "I'm sorry" she says before closing the door behind her.

Hearing her footsteps become fainter the farther she gets from the room, Beck knows he has a decision to make. He can stand there and watch her go, or he can go after her and keep fighting for them.

_**Author's Note: I want to thank those of you who have read/reviewed the story so far. Even though I had to change my original idea of how this story would be, I still think it's interesting and hopefully you all enjoy it. I'll be posting the next chapter Friday. Til then, enjoy and let me know what you think so far!**_


	3. Chapter 3

It takes him some time to decide to follow her out and urge her to talk things out with him, but by the time he starts walking towards the driveway he hears the screeching sounds of her tires against the gravel road. Once he opens the front door, he only sees the tail lights of her car. He sighs and closes the door in frustration and makes his way back to the bedroom they had just been in. As he slumps down on the chair in defeat, he realizes that even if he had caught up with her, chances are that nothing he said to her would have changed her mind. Frankly, he himself needs time to figure things out. He stands and walks over to the other side of the room and crashes on the couch in frustration. Deep down he knows she is right and that their arrangement is dangerous, but he doesn't want to stop. He can't see himself giving up his time with Tori, no matter how guilty he feels.

Sitting on the couch, he thinks back to the time when they first agreed to start sneaking around. It was two years ago...

_**Flashback**_

Beck is sitting in Andre's apartment, swigging back a beer and watching the highlights from last night's game. Andre called him over to help him rehearse a scene for an audition for a new scripted show on ABC. Suddenly, the door bursts open and Tori walks into the apartment. She quickly scans the room and sees Beck sitting comfortably on the couch.

"Hey" she says.

Beck nods his head and raises his beer can to her as a greeting.

"Where's Andre?" she asks noticing his absence.

"He stepped out, he needed to go get something. He'll be right back though if you want to hang around and wait" Beck says taking his eyes off the T.V. screen to look at her. It's been a few weeks since they've seen each other. He realizes that other than Andre, he hasn't seen very much of his friends. It must be true what they say, that life changes after you get married.

Tori nods her head and walks towards the fridge to get herself a glass of water. Andre's apartment has become like her second home. Actually, she seems to spend more time here than in her own apartment. Part of that has to do with her not wanting to be alone at her place. The loneliness gives her too much time to think about the plateau she has hit in her life. While her professional life is going pretty well, she can't help but concentrate on the fact that she hasn't been in a relationship in years.

She's had brief flings here and there, but none of them have amounted to anything serious. While her friends have all figured out how to keep meaningful relationships, she is still figuring it out.

Tori walks over to the couch and sits next to Beck. For a few minutes, both watch television silently, wrapped up in their own thoughts.

"Oh, I never congratulated you on getting the role for the movie dude!" she says, a bit too loudly.

Beck laughs and turns his attention to her. "Glad to see you're so excited about it, and thanks" he says.

She blushes slightly. "Well, you're a good actor. I always figured you'd make it big."

"Did you?" he asks curiously.

She nods her head. "Yeah. Now you have it all huh? A career and a wife. Still crazy that you guys got married. You've been together for so long but you already acted like an old married couple, so it was only a matter of time" she responds laughing.

"And old married couple huh? Yeah, I guess that's true" he says amused.

"It must be nice though, marrying someone you know so well already. You know things won't be much different because you guys were already living together and know everything about each other." Tori takes a sip of her water and continues nodding her head. The idea of marrying your best friend does sound nice. Being with the one person you can be completely comfortable with, how great would that be?

"I wouldn't say we know everything about each other, but it is nice" he responds turning back to the T.V. He takes another sip of his beer and sets it down on the coffee table in front of him.

"Oh come on dude, there can't possibly be anything that you don't know about Jade, and I'm sure she knows everything about you. It's been what? A million years?" she says laughing again.

He doesn't respond this time. He shrugs and keeps his eyes fixed on the television.

"Are you alright?" she asks, thinking she might have overstepped some boundary she isn't aware of. When he doesn't respond, she leans a little closer to look at him. Suddenly, he turns his head and crashes his lips on hers. The action shocks her but the feel of his lips on hers sends shivers down her spine. She starts to return the kiss, but is quickly reminded that she is kissing a married man.

"Oh my God, Beck, what the fuck?" she asks, pushing away from him.

His eyes widen at the realization and he quickly runs a hand through his hair. "Tori...I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me. I just...I...sorry."

"You just what?" she asks. Still shaken up, she brings her hands to her face and rubs her lips. She can still feel the tingling sensation and her body feels flushed.

"Can I...can I tell you something?"

She nods her head hesitantly.

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but I can't stop thinking about you. You remember when Jade and I took a break and we kind of hooked up? I haven't been able to stop thinking about that day."

Tori stares at him wide-eyed. She remembers exactly what he is talking about. About two years ago, Beck and Jade couldn't stop arguing and decided it would be best to spend some time apart. A few days later, she and Beck were hanging out in his apartment and had gotten considerably drunk and ended up making out and passing out soon after. The following morning, overcome with shame, they agreed never to mention it again. A few weeks later, Beck and Jade reconciled and everything was back to normal.

Tori shakes her head from side to side. She would be lying if she said she didn't think about that day once in a while, but she knew better than to bring it up again. Now, here he is kissing her and claiming to think about her all the time. It's just so confusing.

"Beck! What the hell? You're married now. You married Jade!" she says.

"Don't you think I know that? I feel awful but I can't get you out of my mind. I try and try but it doesn't go away. Tori, I wish I knew how to stop these feelings but I don't. I know it's wrong but I can't help it."

Without a second though, he leans closer to her and looks deeply into her eyes. Within seconds, his lips are on hers once again and this time, she doesn't find the will power to pull away from him. Everything inside of her is yelling for her to run out and put this behind her, but her body doesn't react. All the strength she has in her body is pushing her forward to revel in his kiss.

They continue like this for a few minutes, until they hear a click on the door. Beck quickly breaks the kiss and hops over to the other end of the couch to make distance between them. Andre walks in with a few grocery bags and greets his friends, completely unaware of the events that just occurred in his apartment.

For a while longer, Beck and Tori pretend everything is alright as they hang out with Andre. The looming tension between them finally proves too strong for Beck, and he decides to head out.

A few hours later, he sends Tori a text message asking for her forgiveness and asking her if she's willing to meet him and talk about what happened. A few days later, they meet in the cabin and the rest has been history.

_**End Flashback **_

Beck sighs at the memory. To this day, he feels guilty about cheating on Jade. He loves her so much, and knows that she would never do anything like this to him, but he can't bring himself to cut ties with Tori. The electric chemistry between them always brings him running back for more.

Suddenly, he hears a noise coming from the night stand a few feet away. He recognizes the vibration of his phone and reaches over to see what is causing it to go off. A wave of nerves flows through his body as he sees that Andre is calling. His body tenses up.

_Don't answer _his conscious urges him.

Can he carry a conversation with Andre, knowing he's the reason Tori walked out on him? He can't possibly pretend that everything is alright while talking to his best friend. Beck stares at the screen of his phone as it vibrates two more times. His thumb hovers over the screen as he debates whether to press "accept" or "ignore."

After one last ring, he presses...

**Author's Note: Please don't hate me for leaving you hanging in this chapter, I promise there's a method to the madness. I'll put up the next chapter either Sunday or Monday so it won't be a long wait. Thanks again to everyone who has read the story and especially those of you who took the time to review it, I seriously appreciate your feedback since I'm fairly new to the fandom. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and until next time! ~Liz**


	4. Chapter 4

"...Accept."

"Hey man" he answers, trying desperately to shake off any nerves he has. He doesn't want to let on that anything is going on, especially to Andre. If anyone can sense when something is off, it is him.

"Hey Beck, what's up man?" Andre asks. The two carry on a pretty normal conversation in which they catch up with one another. It has been a little over a week since they last spoke. Both have been pretty busy, Andre with his music and Beck with a few acting jobs he has secured as well as helping Jade remodel the kitchen in their house which for whatever reason she thinks is too "cheery and happy."

Andre excitedly begins to tell Beck about a gig he landed at a local lounge. He has been working on two new songs with Tori to debut it because a producer from a major record label is supposed to stop by and this might be a chance for him to finally get signed.

"I'm nervous, but the songs are coming along and they're good. I think I have a good chance this time" Andre continues. Beck patiently listens to his best friend, but his thoughts keep drifting to Tori and he can picture her singing along with Andre, both having a good time together. The thought alone worsens his mood.

After a few more minutes, Andre interrupts Beck's thoughts. "So, hey listen, what are you and Jade doing this Saturday?" he asks nonchalantly.

Curiously, Beck replies "nothing as of right now, why? What do you have in mind?"

Andre pauses for a minute and Beck can automatically sense that this is going to be important. He props up on the bed and sits upright, preparing himself for whatever proposition Andre is about to throw his way.

"Well, I was hoping you guys can come over this Saturday night, around six. I invited everyone over and they're down to come."

Beck thinks for a minute wondering what Andre is planning to do. "Why are we being invited over exactly?" he asks. The only time any of them entertain at their house is when something big is about to happen.

"Well...I want everyone here because I'm thinking of...hm...well, I'm thinking of proposing to Tori" Andre says excitedly.

Beck's heart automatically sinks and he struggles to find words to say. Andre laughs nervously at his friend's silence and says, "Crazy right? But I figure we've been together for almost two years now and we have known each other for much longer, so why not? I mean, people get married within months of knowing each other so I think I should go for it. What do you think?"

Still, speechless, Beck reminds himself that he is talking to Andre who is not only his best friend, but also the most intuitive person he knows. He can not give any indication that something is wrong or that he is unhappy with this because Andre will surely pick up on it. He has to try as hard as possible to make it seem as though everything is alright and that he is happy for Andre. That's what a supportive friend would do, under normal circumstances anyway.

"Wow, that is crazy man. Are you sure you want to do this though? Are you guys even ready for this, I mean it's a big step to take" Beck asks, hoping to sound convincing but wanting to try and have Andre think his decision over.

Without hesitation, Andre responds "Yeah, I know this is what I'm supposed to do. I love her man and I can't see myself ever being without her. Cheesy huh?" says Andre laughing. "I'm going to make her my wife man!"

Beck forces a laugh to show his support to his friend but inside, his stomach is in knots. The word _wife _throws him for a loop and he feels short of breath. Tori, _his_ Tori, is going to be Andre's wife. "Sounds great man" he replies unconvincingly.

"Everything alright?" Andre asks suddenly.

"Huh? Why do you ask?" says Beck, afraid that Andre might have caught on to his internal turmoil.

"Just feels like something's wrong. Also, I kind of expected a bigger reaction from my best bud. I'm getting married dude, you should either be excited or telling me I'm fucking nuts" Andre says laughing.

Beck laughs. "You're fucking nuts man," he says, "happy?"

"There you go, that's the reaction I was looking for. But for real though, you good?" Andre asks again.

"Yeah," Beck reassures him, "everything is fine." He hopes he is a good enough actor to sound convincing because he sure as hell is not alright. His insides are turning, his heart is contracting, his breathing is shallow. The word wife is still ringing in his ears and for some reason he is feeling extremely foolish. Not once did it occur to him that Andre might at some point propose to Tori. Even though they were in a serious relationship for almost two years, the thought of them getting married never crossed his mind.

"Hey, so I have a favor to ask you" says Andre interrupting Beck's thoughts.

"Oh, sure what is it?"

"Well, see, I want some time to fix the place up Saturday before I actually go through with this and so everyone can get here before Tori gets home, I want it to be a surprise. The thing is, I don't have a way to keep her busy for a few hours while I'm doing that so I was hoping maybe you can take her out for a little bit while I get everything situated."

Beck's heart is now beating faster than before. How is it that now he is in a situation where he has to distract his lover while her boyfriend prepares to propose to her? Nervously, he asks "Can't you get someone else to do it, you know I'm not great at distracting people for long periods of time."

Andre laughs and says "Cat and Robbie are away and won't get back til late that afternoon. I would ask your wife but frankly, I don't trust her to not tell Tori and we all know Trina is cuckoo so she's not even an option. That just leaves you man."

Beck lets out a deep breath. He knows this is a really bad idea, especially now that Tori walked out on him making it clear that she couldn't be with him anymore. Having to spend the entire day with her would be awkward and he can't guarantee that he won't tell her about Andre's proposal. Hell, maybe he should tell her and give her a chance to break things up with Andre before he proposes. _You can still save this relationship _Beck thinks to himself. Immediately, he feels awful for having those thoughts. What kind of best friend is he, trying to prevent something that clearly Andre wants. _The kind of friend who sleeps with his best friend's girl that's what _his subconscious yells at him.

Beck groans, torn between being a good friend to Andre and getting another chance with Tori.

"Well?" asks Andre, desperately awaiting an answer. "Will you do it?"

**Author's Note: I decided to post the new chapter today since I wouldn't be able to do it tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone who's reviewed the story, I have enjoyed reading your kind comments. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Let me know what you think and look forward to an update either Thursday or Friday!**


	5. Chapter 5

Beck runs his hands through his hair, exasperated that this is happening. The last thing he wants to hear is that Tori is getting engaged and that he has to play decoy so she doesn't suspect anything. Just a few minutes ago, he was urging her to leave Andre and stay with him. He was telling her that he loves her, and now he finds himself in this predicament. He exhales deeply.

"Yeah, sure man. If no one else is available I guess I have no problem entertaining the future Mrs. Harris while you get ready." Beck tastes the sheer bitterness in his mouth as he calls her that. He can't come to terms with the idea that this is happening. He knew Tori and Andre were serious, hell they've been in a relationship for almost two years and were living together. It only makes sense that their next step was marriage. However, as rational as that thought is, it's one that couldn't have caught him more off guard. He selfishly figured Tori would just wait for him so they could be happy together.

_She couldn't exactly do that _his subconscious says. _You're married, did you think she would wait around for you to decide to leave your wife for her. Shows how much you know her._

Andre laughs and says "Mrs. Harris huh? I like the sound of that already. Man, this is great. Life can't possibly get any better. Watch out Beck, I'm joining the married life buddy."

Beck can't help but laugh at his friend's enthusiasm. It reminds him of his own when he first married Jade. They had been together for so long and were so happy during their wedding. Their honeymoon stage lasted much longer than people expected it to, longer than even he expected. She even managed to be more positive, happier and it elated him to watch such a change in their relationship. They would take drives around town and try new things. She became opened to new experiences and surprisingly stepped out of her comfort zones. Married life really suited Jade, at first anyways.

He can not recall when things stopped being so great, and they eventually settled back into their old routine. She continuously accused him of doing things he wasn't doing (at the time anyways) and was jealous all the time. If he went out for more than an hour she called him five, six, seven times. Then when he came home, an argument was inevitable.

He, in turn, became detached and it wasn't until his arrangement with Tori started that he found some peace. He became less moody and began to laugh again. She did silly things with him and as a result, he wasn't afraid to act silly around her.

"I'm sure you'll love it" he said to Andre.

"So listen, here's what I thought we should do. I have this guitar and I broke two of the strings the other day playing this gig. I can probably get Tori to take it to the store for me and you can go with her. We'll say you're looking for a new guitar or something. Then just keep her busy for a few hours and I'll text you when I'm done at the apartment so you can bring her over."

Beck nods his head realizing that Andre has obviously put a lot of thought into this. However, he catches a slight glitch in the plan. "So what would be my reason for going up to your apartment with her? I mean, if I drop her off she'll probably expect me to go home right after. What if she asks why I'm coming upstairs with her?"

Andre simply responds, "Beck, man, you're my best friend. You don't need a reason to come over. Just say you're coming to chill."

Andre's trust in him makes Beck more uncomfortable. He already feels really bad for going behind his friend's back and doing possibly the worst thing he can do. Now, Andre is putting so much faith in him to help him out with this plan. He is completely oblivious of how wrong it really is for Beck to even have agreed to do this. If Andre knew what has been going on between him and Tori, Beck would already be six feet under. That is if Jade didn't get to him first.

Beck's guilt overwhelms him and before it eats away at him, he tells Andre he needs to get off the phone. "I'll call or text you early on Saturday so we can coordinate times" he tells Andre.

"Yeah man, sounds cool. Thanks again Beck, I owe you one" replies Andre before hanging up the phone.

As the dial tone starts up on his end, that last line upsets Beck. _I owe you one. _Leave it to Andre to always bring the irony into the conversation without even know it. Part of Beck, that part that is tired of keeping this secret, wants to call Andre back and tell him that he doesn't owe him a damn thing. In fact, if anyone owes anything, it's Beck. He wouldn't be able to do that though without explaining everything and jeopardizing his friendship with Andre. There's no right way to tell your best friend that you have been fucking his girlfriend for two years. Hell, he's been in a relationship with Tori longer than Andre has. This secret two year relationship has been suffocating him and now he just wants to tell anyone who will listen how he feels about Tori.

Except, now he can't. Now, everything that's important to him is on the line, and he just has to bury this secret down to the deepest part of his soul and deal with his guilt alone.

'_Saturday might just be the longest day of my life_' he thinks as he crashes back down onto the bed.

**Author's Note: I was hoping to put this chapter up earlier but got a little caught up with work. This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous ones and its purpose is mostly to help you understand Beck's train of thought through all this. We'll see Tori and Beck reunited in the next chapter and I'll most likely put that one up Wednesday or Thursday.**

**Thanks again for those of you who reviewed, I absolutely love reading your thoughts on the story and appreciate it very much. Let me know what you think about this new chapter and see you all next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

It's early Saturday morning and Beck is already up preparing breakfast for himself. Jade is still upstairs sleeping in their comfortable bed while he is frantically searching for a spatula inside the numerous drawers in their still not-finished kitchen. _Who the hell needs this much storage in a god damn kitchen _he thinks to himself in frustration. After several more minutes of searching, he finds all the materials he needs to make an omelette.

Once he's done cooking, he walks over to the small dining table in the corner and begins to eat. The thought of what today signifies for him and Tori keeps swirling in his mind and he still can't believe he agreed to be an accomplice in Andre's plan. A small, and very twisted, part of him wants to just call Andre and tell him he can't help him out today and confess everything to him. Hell, there would be no way Andre would propose to Tori then. There would also be no way he could prevent Jade from finding out so he knows this isn't an option.

His phone suddenly starts vibrating and takes him out of his trance. He reaches for it and reads a text Andre just sent: _checking to see that you're still down. I'll text you later on and tell you when Tori's leaving. Thanks for helping man. -A_

Beck sighs anxiously and texts Andre back letting him know that he is still going to help him out. The plan is to get Tori to take Andre's guitar to the instrument repair store and have Beck "accidentally" run into her there as he looks for a new guitar for himself. He shakes his head and imagines how this would even go down. _Oh hey Tori, fancy seeing you here. I know you walked out on me a few days ago, but how about we spend the next few hours together for absolutely no special reason? _Beck rolls his eyes and groans at the ridiculous scenario and loses his appetite. If he's going to go through with this for Andre, he's going to have to keep busy for the time being and try to relax. He takes his plate, throws the scraps in the waste basket and decides to take a shower.

A couple of hours later, Andre texts Beck and lets him know that Tori is on her way out to go to the repair store. Hurriedly, Beck grabs his car keys, jacket and wallet and heads out to meet her there. He sends Andre a message reading "_on my way out" _and gets in the car. He lives closer to the store than Andre and Tori do, but he doesn't want her to see him pulling up into the parking lot. As he drives on, his anxiety rises. It's been a few days since he's last spoken to Tori and he is more than sure that a very awkward encounter awaits him. Chances are, she isn't ready to see him, much less speak to him yet. It also doesn't help that all he keeps thinking about is the fact that within a few hours, she might agree to marry Andre and will officially put an end to their relationship.

Unlike him, Tori isn't the kind of person to make a commitment like that to someone and then go ahead and cheat on them. She couldn't do to Andre what he has been doing to Jade for two years, that's just not the kind of person she is. Even though she herself holds some of the blame for not putting an end to their secret relationship, he knows he is the one who really fucked up. Not only has he been cheating on his wife, he has also been indifferent about it and only thinks about establishing a legitimate relationship with Tori.

About fifteen minutes later he is parked a few feet from the store. Looking around the lot, he doesn't see her car there yet so he turns off his engine. Having left the motor running, he turns on the radio and flips through the stations. Music is the only thing that will help ease his mind right now. As the smooth melody of Led Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Loving You" surrounds him, he waits patiently for her to arrive.

After about ten minutes, he sees her car pulling up and she gets out carrying a guitar case. He quickly texts Andre and tells him that the plan is in motion. He gives her a few seconds to get inside the store and switches his car off. Walking briskly to the store, he sees her over by the counter talking to the salesman. The guitar case is on the glass counter and the man is looking at it, trying to figure out how to fix it.

As nonchalantly as possible, he walks over to where she is standing and says, "Tori?"

She turns around and sees him standing about five feet from her. He notices the evident shock on her face. He walks a bit closer to her and he sees her tense up.

She is speechless. _What the hell _she thinks. "Beck? What are you doing here?" she stammers.

"Oh, I...I'm looking to buy a new guitar. Want to change it up a little you know" he says as he conspicuously looks around the store. "What a coincidence running into you here, what are you here for?"

She eyes him curiously. "Andre's guitar broke and he didn't have time to drop it off so he asked me to bring it in."

He simply nods. Not wanting to seem obvious, he starts walking towards a display of guitars a few feet away from them. As he turns his back to her, he takes a deep breath. He can't believe how nervous he is after speaking to her for only two minutes. This is the girl that up until this point has always brought him relief. Obviously the circumstances are different, and frankly he doesn't know how to act around _this_ Tori.

She looks after him incredulously and slowly turns back to the salesman who is telling her what they will need to do to the guitar and how much it will cost to get it fixed. As he babbles on about strings and tuning, she can't stop herself from shooting glances at Beck. He has to be up to something. There is no way they just so happened to run into each other.

They spend some time at the store, he looking through rows of guitars and she negotiating the price of fixing the strings. After Tori agrees on a price, she walks over to Beck with the intention of saying good bye to him. "Hey Beck, I'm going to get going."

Beck starts to panic. He knows very well that he needs to keep her busy for a few more hours. Stupidly, he hadn't come up with any ways to do this. She leans over and taps his shoulder as a farewell motion.

"Wait, let's go grab some food or something" he says.

"That's not really a good idea. Besides, weren't you going to get a guitar?" she says nervously.

"Didn't really like any of these. Come on though, it's only to eat. We'll be outside in front of dozens of people, I can't exactly try anything" he responds with a smirk.

She shakes her head, not fully convinced about this.

"Tori, I would still like to be your friend. I know what happened between us makes this incredibly awkward, but I don't want to lose your friendship because of it" he says honestly.

She relaxes a bit at his words and reluctantly nods her head. He extents his arm playfully for her to hold. She grabs on to his arm with a smile and they walk out of the store. They walk a block down and agree on a small diner.

The hostess welcomes them and walks them to a booth already set up with menus and silverware. Nervously, Tori looks around the place noticing the 1950's inspired decorations. The place is surprisingly empty. _So much for dozens of people _she thinks.

"So how have you been?" Beck asks, desperate to ease the tension.

"Listen, I know this is weird for you too so while we're here can we...um...try to keep things light. I really don't want to talk about what happened between us right now, okay?" she interrupts.

Beck's face falls and he reluctantly nods. He was really hoping to get things straightened out. Now that she has taken that off the table, they will have to sit here and make small talk with each other and God knows he hates small talk.

Halfway through their meal, Beck's phone vibrates. "Excuse me" he tells Tori not wanting to appear rude. He pulls his phone from his pocket and sees a text message from Andre: _Just need an hour or so around here, then you can bring her over. _Beck sighs. He is running out of ideas and can tell she is not getting any more comfortable around him.

Quickly, he tries to come up with something else they can do to prevent her from going home. "Hey, can you help me pick out a gift for Jade?" he asks and as soon as the words leave his mouth, he mentally kicks himself. Why did he think bringing up Jade was a good idea.

He notices her body tense up at the mention of his wife and quickly tries to find another suggestion. "Or we could maybe stroll around and see if there are any performers in the park."

"We can get Jade a present Beck" Tori responds, her voice emotionless.

He nods politely knowing that he just created an even more uncomfortable situation between them and basically ruined the decent day they were having. However, he is happy he has found a way to keep her distracted.

After they finish eating, they stroll around looking through stores trying to find something for Jade. Beck, not having had any intention to buy her anything, is at a loss as to what he's even looking for. After about half hour, they finally decide on a set of earrings he thinks she might like. He notices that Tori has been even more silent than she was when he first asked her to come with him. As they stand by the cash register to pay, Beck gets another text message from Andre: _All done. You guys can come over. _

"Hey, Andre just sent me a text me. I need to head over and pick up this thing I left there a few weeks ago" Beck tells Tori, hoping to sound convincing enough.

"What thing?" she asks curiously. The thought of hanging out in her apartment with Andre _and_ Beck is not something she is looking forward to. As if spending the day with her former lover isn't awkward enough, now she is going to have to endure this.

"Just this thing I need for a performance I'm doing." He senses that she doesn't believe him and before she can interject and ask any more questions, he points in the direction of his car and starts walking towards it. "I'll meet you there in a few" he calls out and briskly walks over to the parking lot, leaving her to look after him in disbelief.

A little over twenty minutes later, Beck arrives at Andre's building with Tori getting there only a few minutes later. He quickly texts Andre to tell him they've arrived. As soon as he sees Tori parking her car, he starts walking towards the door, not wanting to give her the opportunity to question him or try to persuade him to go home.

"STOP!" she yells at him. She is out of her car and looking sternly at him. _Crap _Beck thinks and turns back to look at her. Within seconds, she is near him.

"What is going on Beck?" she asks.

"What do you mean?" he asks innocently.

She squints her eyes slightly. "I know something's going on and I want you to tell me_ right now._"

"Nothing is going on Tori. I told you, I just need to come pick something up, that's all."

Clearly not believing him, she continues to question him and for a few minutes, he keeps reassuring her that he's not up to anything. Eventually, she drops it and walks ahead of him and up the stairs to the apartment she shares with Andre.

They walk three flights up in silence. Each step Beck takes, however, weighs heavier on him than the last. The closer they get to her apartment, the closer he is to losing her forever. He feels his body heat rising and his pulse racing. Without thinking, he reaches over to her and grabs her wrist. She turns and looks down at the spot where his hand is holding her. She then looks up at him, questioningly.

"Before we get in there," he starts, "I just want to say that I am sorry if I ever hurt you, in any way. That was never my intention. I want you to know that I really do love you." He lets go of her wrists and looks down at the steps. There is an awkward pause in which neither say anything. Then, Tori places her index finger under his chin and forces him to look at her. She gives him a small smile and nods her head. He nods in return. That simple gesture is enough to tell him that despite their uncomfortable day, she still feels the same.

As her finger drops from his chin, he takes a deep breath and watches as she turns back and goes up the last flight of steps. Once outside her door, she fumbles for her keys and within seconds, opens the door ajar.

They are quickly overwhelmed by the loud "SURPRISE"coming from their friends. Tori stands by the door frame confused as to what is going on. It takes her a few seconds to spot her boyfriend a few feet away kneeling on his knees holding a small box open for her to see. Tori's mouth drops open and she brings up her hand to cover it. She forgets about everything but Andre. She walks over to him slowly and kneels down in front of him.

"No, I want you to stand up" he says. "I want to do this right."

Beck, who is still standing by the door frame, closes the door behind him and leans against the wall. He sees his wife across the room and shoots her a smile which she quickly returns. He turns his attention back to his best friend and the girl he's in love with, feeling a pit building in his stomach.

Tori stands up and Andre, still kneeling, holds her left hand. "I've known you for such a long time now and I truly feel like you are a part of me. You make every single day better than the last and you make everything I do more special. With you, I have learned what it means to be truly happy. You, Tori, have helped me developed into a person I can be proud of. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without you and this is why I would be honored if you accept my proposal and become my wife."

His words touch her heart and his love overwhelms her. Everything he has said in his proposal are things she feels for him as well. There is no denying Andre's importance in her life and the impact he has had in helping her become a better person. However, looking around at everything he's done for her, she knows that she is nowhere near as good a person as he is because he would never cheat on her. He would never do to her what she has been doing to him. He would never hurt her like that. Tears begin to flow down her face as she thinks of what an awful person she has been to him.

"Tori?" says Andre a bit nervously. Everyone around is staring at her and she knows she has a decision to make.

"Will you marry me?" asks Andre. Tori looks down at him and then at the ring that signifies the start of a new life for them. She takes a deep breath and …


	7. Chapter 7

Suddenly, more and more tears begin to run down her face until she is sobbing. Seeing Andre on his knees, wanting to marry her, breaks her heart. After everything she has done, she does not deserve a man as good as him. How can she accept his proposal after having had this secret relationship with Beck? What kind of marriage would they have if she has to carry this secret for the rest of her life?

Now concerned, Andre gets off his knee and embraces her. "Shh baby, it's okay. Just breathe" he says while running his hand up and down her back trying to soothe her.

The more he tries to comfort her, the harder she cries. Andre looks around the room and notices everyone is looking at them. He quickly leads her into their bedroom so they can speak privately. As the couple goes into the next room, everyone is standing around in confusion. "That's not a good sign" a few of them murmur. After a few minutes, Jade walks over to the radio and turns the volume up, trying to silence everyone and help bring the mood back up. Cat smiles at her appreciatively and both women make their way around the room, engaging others in small talk, trying to divert their focus elsewhere.

In the bedroom, Andre leads Tori to the edge of the bed and sits next to her. He continues rubbing her back and waits for her to calm down.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asks.

Tori shakes her head from side to side. "I-I-I" she starts but can't control her sobs.

"Shhh, Tor breathe baby, it's alright."

After a few more minutes she has finally controlled her breathing a bit. She turns her body to look at him and sees that he is smiling at her. Leave it to Andre to stay strong for her while she is on the verge of a complete breakdown.

"Take your time" he says once he sees her opening her mouth to speak.

She nods. "I...I a-am so sorry Andre" she says.

He looks into her tear stained eyes and decides not to interrupt her. She starts shaking her head once more. "I just...I can't...oh God this is hard" she says and takes a deep breath. "I can't marry you" she finishes and looks away from him, ashamed.

Andre's hand falls from her back and he frowns. "Oh" is all he manages to say.

"I am really sorry. I know this isn't the answer you wanted" she quickly adds, wanting desperately to explain, but not knowing how.

"No, it wasn't" he answers. He gets up from the bed and walks so that he is standing in front of her.

"Why can't you marry me Tori?"

Back in the living room, the guests have started carrying on different conversations, temporarily having forgotten about Tori and Andre. Beck, however, can't stop himself from glancing towards the closed bedroom door. _What the hell is going on in there? _He asks himself.

It seems to him that Tori might not accept Andre's proposal after all and while he should be happy about this, he can't bring himself to be. Even though he wants Tori, Andre is still his best friend and this will surely break his heart. Also, given Tori's reaction, he is nervous that she may tell Andre the truth about them. The thought alone frightens him and he fears what might happen once they reemerge from the room.

He walks over to Jade who is talking to Cat trying to figure out what is going on. He remains silent as the two ladies continue to speculate. He notices, after a few minutes, Cat shooting curious looks at him and he wonders if it's possible that she knows his secret just by looking at him.

Cat has always had a weird ability to figure things out before the others. Even though they all think she is quite ditzy, even after all these years, she somehow manages to be one of the most perceptive among them. Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, he avoids eye contact. He looks around the room and sees Robbie over by the refreshments. He excuses himself from the conversation between Jade and Cat and walks over to Robbie.

"Hey Beck" says Robbie.

"What's up man?" Beck responds.

"Did you catch the game last night?" asks Robbie and Beck sighs in relief that Robbie doesn't want to talk about what's going on between Andre and Tori.

Back in the bedroom Andre is still standing in front of Tori. Her breathing has now slowed down and the sobs and tears have subsided.

"Tori, why is it that you can't marry me?" he asks again. As patient as he is trying to be with her, he desperately wants her to answer him. This night has not gone how he expected it to and he would be lying if he says he's not hurt. He takes her hands in his and looks down at her.

Tori looks into his eyes and knows that she can't keep lying to him anymore. She knows that has to be honest with him, it is only fair.

**Author's Note: I apologize for not updating sooner, and that this chapter is a bit shorter than the others. Do you think that Tori will actually tell Andre about her and Beck? Let me know what you think and look forward to an update Wednesday!**


	8. Chapter 8

Tori looks around the room she shares with Andre and is reminded of the life they have built together. Photographs of them throughout the years surround her. There are pictures of them performing together in Hollywood Arts, one with their friends at the Asphalt Cafe. She sees pictures from their first date, Beck and Jade's wedding...the images chronicle not only their relationship, but their friendship.

As guilty as she feels right now, for everything she has done during the past two years, the photographs warm her heart. She gets up from the bed and stands in front of him.

"I want you to know that you have made me so happy in the time we've been together. When I first met you in high school I knew you would be someone important in my life. Andre, I couldn't dream of anyone better than you, no matter how hard I try."

As she continues telling him why he's the perfect boyfriend, he patiently waits for her to tell him why it is she can't marry him. If she feels all these things she is telling him, why has she turned him down?

"You have been my best friend and what you said out there, when you were proposing, I feel that too..." she continues.

Out in the living room, Beck is alone over by the kitchen drinking a beer. He watches as everyone around him interacts with each other as music fills the room. It seems as if everyone but him has forgotten about the couple in the other room.

Tori and Andre have been gone for a while now and Beck's nerves are getting the best of him. He keeps praying that Tori doesn't tell Andre about them or that she changes her mind and agrees to marry him. He shakes his head at the thought. How much more confusing could this be? He wants Andre to be happy, but doesn't want Tori to accept his proposal. He wants Tori, but doesn't want her to tell Andre about them and he won't even leave his wife. Beck runs his hands through his hair in frustration.

Suddenly, he notices Cat walking over to him and she randomly engages him in a conversation about her day and her trip with Robbie. Half listening, he nods away and continues drinking his beer.

"You know, one time my brother dressed up as a pirate and started drinking until he couldn't walk on the sidewalk" she says.

"Was he drunk?" asks Beck, indulging her in conversation.

"No" she replies matter-of-factly.

Beck's eyes narrow. "What does this have to do with drinking then?"

Cat quickly ponders his question. She eventually shrugs her shoulders "I don't know." Beck stares at her confused.

After a few seconds of silence, she asks "have you told Jade?"

"Told Jade what?" he asks her.

"That you love Tori" she replies, her voice lacking any fluctuation.

He quickly turns to look at her, shock evident in his face. She doesn't look at him but rather takes a sip from the cup she is holding.

"I don't love Tori" he replies, stuttering over his words.

She merely laughs in response. "Oh Beck" she says while patting his shoulder, "of course you do." She walks away and he stares after her in a panic.

Back in the bedroom, Andre is still waiting for Tori to explain why she's turned him down.

"I haven't been a good girlfriend to you Andre" she states.

"Yes you have Tori, you've been amazing" he tells her.

Tori shakes her head disagreeing with him. "I've made so many mistakes Andre, you can't even begin to imagine how badly I've fucked up."

He looks at her, confusion clouding his face. His heart has started to beat faster than ever.

Tori inhales and decides to just tell him. "I...I haven't been faithful to you."

She hears his breath hitch and her heart sinks when he pulls his hands away from hers. She looks into his eyes. They are filled with anger and hurt and she tries to step closer to him to explain herself. As she takes a step towards him, he lifts his hand to stop her.

"Andre, I am so sorry" she states as tears begin to fill her eyes again. He shakes his head and turns his gaze away from her. "Andre, I didn't mean to hurt you. If I could take it all back, I would in a second-"

"Who is he?" he interrupts her.

Tori stares at him and feels herself flushing. "Andre, just please" she continues.

"Who. Is. He?" he repeats.

She shakes her head from side to side. She wasn't planning on telling him about Beck. She doesn't want to drag him into this, especially with Jade just outside the bedroom doors.

"It doesn't matter Andre, just please talk to me" she pleads.

"It doesn't matter? It doesn't matter!? OF COURSE IT FUCKING MATTERS. You have to be kidding me right now Tori. I can't believe this shit. After everything we've been through. Who the fuck is he?" Andre yells. This is the first time since she met him that she has seen him this way. She is terrified and fears that she will make it worst by not telling him the truth.

**I know I said I would update Wednesday but I got a bit busy. I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter! Also, what did you all think about 3 girls and a Moose? I thought it was pretty funny. **


	9. Chapter 9

"It's really not important Andre. I'm the one who messed up and I know apologizing for it won't make it better, but I will do anything to fix it. Anything you want, just tell me and I'll do it!" she begs him.

"You want to fix this?" he starts, "tell me who he is. That's all you have to do."

Tori's face falls and she knows that he is not going to drop this particular question. She only has two options, and both result in someone getting hurt. She can either not tell him and ruin her relationship with him, or she can tell him the truth about Beck and ruin their friendship. How could they possibly come back from that kind of betrayal? She knows that telling him about Beck would only make the situation worst, especially since Beck is in the very next room with Jade.

"You owe me that much don't you think?" Andre interrupts her thoughts. "After everything you've just put me through and making me look like a fool in front of all those people, you should at least be able to tell me who he is." Andre's tone is firm, determined to find out who the guy is that has ruined his relationship.

Tori's shoulders fall and she feels the room begin to spin. How can she get out of this? How can she avoid answering this question and make him channel his anger towards her? He should be mad at her. Hell, she would rather he be yelling at her right now rather than asking this question.

"Damn it Tori, who is he?" he asks once again.

Tori takes a deep breath and bites her lip to try and stop the tears from flowing any faster. She should have just accepted his proposal and made him happy. She should have just dealt with the guilt she brought upon herself. Had she just done that, she would not be here, hurting Andre. Now, if she tells him about Beck she would not only ruin her relationship, she would most likely also destroy Beck and Jade's relationship.

Andre walks over to her and grabs her by the arm. "You owe me this, you owe me this much" he says frantically looking her straight in the eye.

"I...It's only going to make the situation worst Andre, please just be mad at me. I can handle it, but please stop asking me to tell you."

"How can the situation possibly be any worst? Who is he?" Andre asks again, no longer sure he wants to know. How worst can things get? Who could it possibly be that would break his heart even more? His concern, however, is not enough to stop him from asking. "Last time Tori. Who is he?"

She looks down at the floor, feeling defeated. How much longer can they have this conversation? How much longer can she avoid answering his question? Taking a deep breath, she whispers Beck's name.

"Excuse me?" says Andre, not completely sure he heard right.

She looks up at him and sees the devastation on his face. "Beck" she repeats herself, a little louder than before.

Andre's eyes widens and he gapes at her. He takes a step back, distancing himself from her. Tori continues to look at him, frightened about his reaction. It dawns on her that she just told him the truth and her heartbeat increases rapidly. _Damn it _she thinks. She shouldn't have said anything, she should have kept her damn mouth shut. If only she can warn Beck and get him to take Jade home before Andre decided to make a scene.

"Be-Beck?" he says hoping that's not what she said.

She hesitates and slowly nods her head yes. She closes her eyes.

"YOU CAN'T BE FUCKING SERIOUS. TELL ME YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS" he yells.

"Andre, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry" she pleads.

Andre shakes his head, a look of disgust on his face and suddenly he bolts towards the door.

Once in the living room, he frantically looks around for Beck. Once he spots him over by the kitchen, Andre walks over to him and punches him square in the jaw. The other guests gasp and scream in horror. Ignoring the noise, Andre continues to punch Beck.

Jade quickly rushes over trying to stop him along with Robbie. Tori runs out of the room, runs towards the two men and tries pulling Andre off Beck.

Resisting the tugs from his friends, Andre manages to still make contact with Beck's face. While throwing one last punch he yells "I can't fucking believe you man, you're supposed to be my best friend and you pull some shit like that? How the fuck could you do that?"

The group finally succeeds in restraining Andre. Beck slowly gets on his feet and cups his jaw with his hands. He can feel blood gushing from his lips and feels the soreness on his face instantly. Trying his best to ignore the pain, he starts "Andre, I'm sorry man. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"Oh you didn't? Well guess what? It just fucking happened" says Andre and he tries to lunge himself onto Beck again, but fails as the others manage to hold him back.

Standing between Beck and Andre is Jade, who is clearly confused. "What the hell is going on?" she asks searching for clarity on their conversation.

"Tell her Beck. Go on, be a man and tell your _wife _what you have been up to" spits Andre bitterly.

Beck tenses up and can't bring himself to speak. _Shit _he thinks. He looks around and sees that everyone has gathered in a circle around them, awaiting his answer as anxiously as his wife. She is standing inches from his face. Her brows are furrowed and her eyes narrow. A few feet away, he sees Tori, still crying shaking her head.

"Beck?" Jade asks.

Beck can't bring himself to tell her. He shakes his head, knowing he can't answer her question without hurting her. "I'm sorry" is all he can say.

Jade turns and looks at Andre. "If he won't tell you, I will" Andre says and Beck looks up at him horrified, almost begging him not to. However, Andre completely disregards his look.

"It seems that Beck and Tori here have been pretty busy screwing each other behind our backs" Andre says.

Jade's eyes widen and she turns back to look at Beck. "Is that true?" she asks, her voice monotone.

Beck purses his lips and looks at Andre once again. The tension between the former best friends is almost too much to bear. He looks at Jade and takes a deep breath. "Yes" he says.

He can hear the gasps coming from everyone around them and just as he is about to explain himself to her, he feels a sting on his cheek and within seconds Jade has lunged herself onto him and is hitting him as hard as she can. This goes on for a few seconds until Cat quickly makes her way through the crowd and pulls Jade off.

"I HATE YOU! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THIS TO ME! I FUCKING HATE YOU" she screams and he can feel his heart shattering into a million little pieces.

"I'm sorry. Baby, I'm so sorry" he tells her but her yells drown him out. He tries to walk over to her, to just hold and comfort her.

"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME" she yells at him and turns to Cat, crying hysterically. Beck stops dead in his tracks.

"Sucks doesn't it?" starts Andre, "having someone else fuck with your relationship?" Beck scowls at him and from the corner of his eyes sees Jade run out of the apartment. Without thinking twice, he runs after her. He has to explain himself, has to apologize to her for causing her pain.

As everyone stares after Beck, Andre yells "EVERYONE GET THE FUCK OUT."

Slowly, people gather their belongings and start heading out. Cat and Robbie decide to wait around once they see Tori standing a few feet away from Andre.

Andre is standing by the bedroom door looking angrier than anyone has ever seen him. Tori has managed to calm down and starts walking over to him. "Andre, please let's just talk about this" she says, praying that she can try and fix the mess she's made.

Without looking at her, Andre says "Just leave Tori" and proceeds to walk into the bedroom slamming the door behind him.

Tori bites her lower lip and looks down at the floor as a few more tears make their way down her face. As if on cue, Cat and Robbie walk over to her and help her walk towards the door and out of the apartment.

**Author's Note: Dra-ma! This is probably my favorite chapter of the story and hopefully you guys like it too. I've been thinking about writing a chapter with Beck and Jade, but I haven't decided yet. Do you guys think I should write one about their confrontation? If so, let me know. If not, the next chapter will be the last one! Let me know what you think, reviews are much appreciate it. Hope you enjoyed it, til next time!**


	10. Chapter 10

Once outside Andre and Tori's apartment, Beck begins a mad dash down the four flights in an effort to catch up with his wife. As he descends the steps, he begins thinking of what he can say to Jade. How does one begin to explain the situation to one's spouse? He wonders how Tori told Andre about their affair. Will it be easier to do it as fast as possible and try to avoid any details that would make things worse, or is it better to explain it all? Hell, he doubts Jade would even give him the opportunity to explain himself.

As he makes it outside the building complex, he scans around the area and after a few seconds he sees Jade a few yards away walking towards her car. Beck quickly runs towards her. "Jade" he calls out to her. He can't tell if she's heard him or not, but by the way her steps quicken he can assume she has. "Jade" he yells once more and wills himself to run faster.

Within a short time he is mere feet away from her. She continues walking ahead of him, not once turning to acknowledge him. The only sounds that can be heard are their shallow breathing and the clicking of her heels resonating throughout the night. For the first time all night, Beck allows himself to take in his wife's form. Her black dress stops just above her knees and a pair of lace stockings shield her legs from the chill of the night. Her leather jacket cinching at her waist helps display her curvy figure and her wavy dark hair is blowing freely in the wind, covering her face from his gaze. Without even looking at her face, Beck can not deny her beauty. Besides his affair, his regret is taking her for granted and not telling her more often how much she means to him. As cliche as it sounds, you truly don't know what you have until you lose it, although Beck can only hope that he hasn't lost her.

"Jade" he says once more. He notices her body stiffen as he says her name. "Let me explain, please" he begs, hoping that he can elicit a reaction, any reaction.

Jade stops dead in her tracks and turns to face him, a scowl prevalent on her face. "You," she starts as she lifts a finger to point at him , "don't get to justify what you've done. You don't get to stand there and feed me some bullshit story about this" she finishes.

Beck nods his head in understanding. "I don't want to justify it, because I can't. Nothing I say can make what I did okay Jade."

Jade rolls her eyes at him. Why did she expect him to say something less obvious? Did cheaters ever have something original to say? "You don't say" she replies, her tone annoyed.

Beck takes a few seconds to observe her, and it surprises him that she's no longer crying. She doesn't look very sad at all. Instead, she is furious. In fact, he can't think of a time throughout their entire relationship in which she was ever this upset over something. Even when Sinjin sat on the scissors Cat had given her for secret Santa, she was less upset.

"Look," Beck starts, "I know you don't want to hear this but I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you like this Jade-"

"Are you sorry you did it or sorry you got caught" she interrupted. "I mean, it's not like you would have told me yourself. Andre had to tell me."

"And he shouldn't have" Beck answers, his response more aggressively than he meant.

"No, you should have. But instead you stood there, not saying anything."

"Jade-"

"All I want to know is how long you were seeing her for" Jade says.

Beck shakes his head from side to side. To tell her that he's been having an affair for half the amount of time they've been married is probably the way to make the situation worse. It was already bad enough that he's been sleeping with her high school nemesis, but to tell her the length of his affair? He might as well be planning his own funeral.

"Might as well be honest, you've already been caught" she says as she crosses her arms across her chest. He watches silently as she distributes her weight from one foot to the next. Her bright blue eyes radiating an intensity unfamiliar to him, almost intimidating. "Well?" She adds expectantly, her brow raised.

Beck heaves a frustrated sigh, "just over two years" he responds, his voice low and coarse.

He gazes at her as her countenance falters and her arms drop back down to her sides. She slowly shakes her head and looks down at the ground. An awkward silence consumes them and Beck is unsure of what to say. He thinks hard of the appropriate way to disperse the tension but nothing seems right.

"Why?" She simply asks taking Beck by surprise. Where is the yelling, the hitting? He expected for her to tear him a new one. Actually, he even welcomes the idea of her reacting as she normally would because he knows how to approach that Jade. This unfamiliar Jade, that is a little too calm, much too collected...this Jade is throwing him for a loop.

"It...we were going through a tough time, you and me. Just always arguing and-"

"So this is the part where you blame me right? Nice" Jade interrupts.

"No, Jade I would never blame you. This was my fault. I chose to so what I did when I should have been trying to work things out with you. I should have put more effort in fixing our marriage. I just felt overwhelmed and didn't think I could fix it, so instead I took the easy way out."

"And out of all the people you could have done this with, you choose her. After everything we've been through and all the fights we've gotten into because of her...that's what hurts the most. Even more than the lies and the betrayal, it's the fact that you chose Tori. After all the promises that she means nothing to you...did you even think about Andre?"

"Of course I did. We both did. Jade I'm not going to pretend I'm innocent, I know what I did is wrong. Even as I did it, I knew how messed up it was, but I couldn't stop and I'm sorry. Tori put an end to it a few days ago and since then I've been thinking about ways to make things better between us." As the words leave his mouth, Beck can't help but feel even guiltier. When Tori broke things up between them, he had only thought about ways to get her back. It wasn't until after Andre told him about the proposal that he truly thought about his own marriage with Jade.

"Oh, well remind me to send Tori a thank you card on behalf of me and Andre. We both appreciate it" Jade spits bitterly.

"Jade, I didn't mean-" Beck starts before being interrupted yet again. Jade raises her hand up and shakes her head.

"Just stop. I'm so tired of the excuses and apologies. This isn't like high school where you would flirt with other girls and we would get into a silly argument about it. We're married. You stood there with me and made promises that obviously didn't mean anything to you. So what now? What happens now?"

"Jade, my vows...I know I messed up, I do. But I can only hope that we can try and figure out a way to move past this...somehow. I'll do anything you want me to."

A smirk appears on her face. She looks at him up and down. His long hair is tied back into a small bun, a few strands framing his face. His shirt is half buttoned exposing his black undershirt. His dark jeans are tucked into his worn-out brown boots that match his jacket perfectly. If this was forty minutes ago, she would bet her life that the man standing before her is flawless, the epitome of perfection. Now, however, his flaws are prominent and all she can focus on.

"I don't want you to do anything except get your things out of my house." She continues to smirk as his eyes widen and mouth opens slightly.

"Is..is that what you really want?" Beck asks as he stumbles over his words.

She nods, "that's all I want" she says.

As the couple stand a short distance from each other, they notice the other occupants of the engagement party exiting the building. Many of them are carrying on conversations, probably about the disaster that ensued mere minutes ago. Some of them linger in front of the building finishing up their discussions, pausing for a bit to bid farewell to the few heading towards their car. Just a handful of them manage to spy Beck and Jade and stare curiously at the pair. Beck rolls his eyes as he makes eye contact with an onlooker.

As he turns back to his wife he sees that she has turned her back to him and has resumed walking towards her car. He runs a bit to catch up to her again. "Jade, I hope we can work this out. I know you're mad at me right now, and you have every right to be, but I can't imagine being without you" he admits.

Jade purses her lips and looks into his eyes. She can see his sincerity and part of her wants to forgive him and start making this go away, but a bigger part wants to make him feel the way she feels; hurt and betrayed.

"Tomorrow, I'll have your things ready. You can pick them up" she states before turning back and taking the few remaining steps to her car.

Beck watches as she opens the door and gets in. He sighs as she closes the door, starts the engine and quickly drives off.

Standing there, Beck thinks back on the last day he spent with Tori. He wanted so desperately for them to figure out where they were going. So badly did he want their relationship defined that he never thought about how it would affect his marriage. Selfishly, he wanted a way to be with Tori without ending his marriage or hurting Jade. In retrospect, he should have known that you can't have your cake and eat it too.

He takes another look towards Tori's building and at the few remaining people loitering in front of it. Taking a deep breath, he zips up his jacket and starts walking towards his own car, unsure of where he is supposed to go.

**Author's Note: **_I apologize for the slight delay, but I struggled a bit writing this chapter. This is the first time I've written a chapter solely focusing on Beck and Jade and wanted to try to get the characters to sound realistic. Hopefully I have and didn't disappoint any Bade shippers. Definitely let me know if the characters are off and how I could fix it (it would help a lot). I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one is the last one which I'm looking forward to posting. So, until next time!_


	11. Chapter 11

Tori is sitting at a table outside of a small cafe looking on as people walk by, appearing carefree and happy. It's been two months since the engagement disaster and she has just managed to settle into her new apartment. It is much smaller than the one she used to share with Andre and has nowhere near as many happy memories.

Since the engagement party, she has not spoken to Andre. She actually hasn't heard much from any of her friends with the exception of Cat whom she hears from once every few weeks. She can't really blame any of them for keeping their distance. Her mistakes led to the downfall of relationships within their circle and it would take time to restore them, if ever that were to happen.

She has, however, heard that Andre has been doing alright since he found out about her relationship with Beck. He has also moved out of the apartment they shared together. She can see why he would do that. Surely he would want to get rid of anything that reminds him of their relationship and any memories he has of her. Even though it hurts her to know that he wants nothing to do with her, she can't exactly fault him. In a single night, she managed to turn his life completely upside down and destroy his friendship with Beck. That alone is unforgivable.

She continues to sit there and ponder about how things could have been different had she never started a relationship with Beck. She could be on her way to being Mrs. Harris right now, living happily with her boyfriend. They would probably be out with their friends right now, enjoying the day and making more memories together. Instead, she is sitting alone thinking of things that can no longer be. _How the mighty have crashed and burned _she thinks to herself.

About ten minutes later, she sees a familiar figure approaching. Within seconds, Beck walks up to the table and takes a seat opposite her. They share a small smile and he proceeds to order a coffee from the waiter who has come to take his order. "Oh, can you add a double shot of espresso?" he asks the waiter who nods and walks away.

Beck and Tori have kept minimum contact within the last two months. They felt it would be best to let the dust settle before speaking to each other again. They had finally agreed to meet at the cafe to talk.

"Espresso huh? I guess things aren't going very well" Tori says solemnly.

"That's an understatement," he sighs, "Jade filed for divorce Thursday."

Tori's heart sinks. A month after the incident, Jade agreed to try and work things out with Beck. Tori assumed they would eventually get things back to normal, like they always did whenever something went wrong in their relationship. "I thought you guys were working through things in therapy?" she says.

Beck nods his head slowly, "we were," he starts, "but we couldn't work past this. She resents me too much and I don't blame her."

Tori stares down at her coffee cup. The small sense of happiness she had prior is no longer there. Now she's also responsible for destroying a marriage. Even after everything that occurred, and her still present feelings for Beck, she was hopeful that he and Jade would be able to get through this predicament, if only to give them all hope that things would eventually go back to normal.

"I'm so sorry Beck. I didn't want any of this to happen. Fuck, I shouldn't have said anything, it's all my fault" she apologizes frantically.

He shakes his head and raises his hand, asking her to stop. "Stop apologizing Tori" he says.

"I ruined your marriage, I have to apologize."

"You did _not _ruin my marriage. I am just as responsible for things as you are okay? I ruined my own marriage. I knew what we were doing and how risky it was to keep seeing you. I knew then what I might be sacrificing and I still couldn't keep myself away from you."

Tori rubs her forehead, trying to process his words. "We really fucked up didn't we?" she asks rhetorically. _Of course you did _her subconscious says sarcastically.

Beck nods his head. "Yes. We really did. It's ironic though. Two months ago, I would have done anything to have this opportunity. To be able to have a relationship with you, but I didn't want it this way. Things are just really screwed up."

She doesn't respond, just takes a sip of her coffee and nods her head. They sit in silence for a few minutes. Even though this is the first time they have seen each other since that night, there is no tension and no awkwardness between them. It feels like old times, before they started seeing each other. The waiter comes back with Beck's coffee.

"Have you spoken to Andre?" Tori asks, breaking the silence.

"No. I tried calling a few times but he sent me straight to voicemail" he replies, the sadness obvious in his voice.

"I miss him" Tori says, her voice barely above a whisper. She slowly looks up at Beck and notices a frown on his face. How weird is it to talk to your ex-lover about your ex-boyfriend? She instantly regrets saying it. She sighs and looks around the cafe. With the exception of an elderly couple chatting away and a lone man reading the paper, they are the only other occupants. Sitting here, with Beck, should feel intimate. Instead, it feels as if they are both eternally trapped in a mess of their own creation.

"I know" he responds sadly. Beck reaches across the table and takes her hand in his. He brings it up to his lips and kisses the inside of her palm. "I'm sorry too" he says as he brings his lips back up and looks at her.

She offers him a small smile and gently pulls her hand back."So, what happens from here on out?" she asks, desperately hoping he can answer the question she has been asking herself for the past eight weeks.

He shoots her a small smile and shrugs his shoulders. "I have no fucking idea."

She can't help but laugh. "Guess we just have to wait it out huh?"

"I think we've done enough damage, that might be the best solution to this mess" he replies, his tone more serious than before.

"So we just wait for the storm to settle" she says flatly.

He raises his brow and looks at her. "Let's just hope that the storm _does _settle" he says firmly.

She nods her head in agreement. "Beck?" she says.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for not letting me go through this alone. I know you've lost more than I have, but I'm really grateful for you" she states.

"Hey, I would never let you deal with this by yourself. We got into this together and hopefully, eventually, we'll figure it out the same way. It's going to be alright" he tells her, a smile on his face. For the first time in two months, a weight is lifted off his shoulder and he knows that even if things get worse from here on out, he will have someone by his side helping him along.

Once more falling into a comfortable silence, they both take a sip of their coffee and look on as people continue to stride by, enjoying their seemingly uncomplicated lives.

**THE END.**

**Author's Note: **_I hope you've enjoyed reading this story. I worked pretty hard on it and I'm a little sad it's finished. _**_I actually wanted to run and idea by you so hopefully enough of you are still reading:_**_ This story initially started out as an 18-chapter "choose your own adventure" fic, so I have various other chapters unpublished on my laptop. It was suggested that I publish an alternate ending to this story. It would be a bit shorter, but most chapters and of course the ending would be completely different. If you think it's a good idea and I should publish an alternate ending, please let me know and I will start posting that as soon as possible. _


End file.
